November 21, 2007
Portland church weighs $1.5M offer
A developer has made an unsolicited offer to buy Saint Patrick Church -- the largest Catholic church in Portland -- for $1.5 million, church officials told the Portland Press Herald.
Rev. Michael Boughton said the church has until mid-January to consider the offer from the owner of the Westgate Shopping Center, the parish's neighbor on Congress Street. The shopping center is owned by Charter Realty and Development Corp., based in Rye Brook, N.Y., which wants to build a restaurant over a section of the Westgate parking lot used by parishioners, the newspaper reported.
If church officials, who admit an elderly congregation and declining contributions could mean challenges in the future, decide to sell for what they called a "fair but not generous" price, parishioners will likely be sent to other congregations in Portland, the paper said.
Rev. Michael Boughton said the church has until mid-January to consider the offer from the owner of the Westgate Shopping Center, the parish's neighbor on Congress Street. The shopping center is owned by Charter Realty and Development Corp., based in Rye Brook, N.Y., which wants to build a restaurant over a section of the Westgate parking lot used by parishioners, the newspaper reported.
If church officials, who admit an elderly congregation and declining contributions could mean challenges in the future, decide to sell for what they called a "fair but not generous" price, parishioners will likely be sent to other congregations in Portland, the paper said.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments